Why Does He Care?
by Lebra
Summary: ZATR. After Tak's ship crashed, She escaped from it and collapsed in the forest. Little does she know that this event will change her life forever... Please R&R. Rated teen for mild use of language
1. The Start of something Big

As Zim was calmly walking in the dense forest, something caught his eye. It was a green figure. Zim's antenna perked up at this strange sight. He ran over to what it was, he gasped. It was Tak! He promptly scooped her up and lifted the microphone from his pak. "GIR!" He screamed. "Helooooooo?" Gir promptly replied. "Come over to the forest! I got Tak here and she needs medical attention!" When Tak awoke, she was greeted by blinding white lights. "Beautiful." She said sarcastically. "Am I dead?" "No, not dead, but when I found you, you almost were." A familiar voice said. "Z...Zim? Is that you?" "Yup. I'm glad you're awake. I almost thought you were dead." He said with a hint of worry on the word "dead" '_why does he care so much?'_ Tak thought. '_Why does he care if I die or not?' ' I was so mean to him, so why does he want me to live?'. _She then looked up at Zim. He had been getting taller, and by the looks of it, he was now taller than her. His ruby eyes had grown even darker and hypnotic as she stared into their bright beauty. She started to pull down the sheets that cover her body, but quickly pulled them back up. "I'm naked!" Zim blushed. "I didn't see anything you didn't want me to see!" Zim handed her a robe and left the room. She put it on and walked out. She saw Zim working on something. "Zim, where's the shower?" He quickly turned around to her. "Down the hall, fifth door to the left." She left to the hall. '_Strange, why did he snap to my attention when I asked him, normally it wouldn't matter, but this is Zim were talking about, the Zim that is always absorbed in himself and what he's doing.'_ When she came out of the shower, she threw on a towel and dried, then put on her robe and walked out of the door. "Amazing." Zim muttered "Huh?" Tak asked. "How can you be immune to the water without the use of paste?" "Something I learned from being cast away from civilisation for so long, I guess my body started to adapt to all sorts of things." "You were an outcast?" "Yes, I never found the life of most Irkens, fitting to me, so I left once I was old enough to walk without falling, I learned everything I know from the outside life of Irk, taught by other outcasts I learned many things that I still use today, that's why I'm so independent, I lived a life of seldomacy, trusting only few." "Am I one you can trust?" Zim randomly threw out. "Of course Zim, that is, if you can trust me." Zim smiled lightly. "Of course I do, your stuff is upstairs in the guest room." "You have a guest room?" "Well, sort of, if you can manage the fact that it was threwn together quickly, I had to put it together the moment I saw you land, since I have no other rooms and I would think you wouldn't really want to sleep in my room, however after a few nights we'll have to get out of here, you are now considered a fugitive to the Irken empire for one reason or the other and if the tallest find you here we could both get in trouble." "Transporting a fugitive." Tak mumbled then went upstairs leaving Zim alone. He sighed and plopped his body on the table. He had a chance to look at her. She had grown taller and had taken of her breast wrap for one reason or another. _'why do I get that feeling in my stomach when she's around?'_ He briefly thought of love, but shook it off and went back to his work. Tak then went downstairs when she was done with her work and watched Zim working with something while mumbling something along the lines of "...Is it possible that I'm in love?..." Tak wondered slightly who he was talking about, but then forgot about it and pulled a chair next to Zim. "Hey, watcha working on?" Zim responded "A new disguise, right now mine it looks as crappy as a septic tank that hasn't been cleaned for a few years." Tak chuckled lightly at this. After awhile of working he turned around to Tak and said "It's getting kinda late, maybe we should turn in." Tak nodded in agreement and went up to the guest room and put on some extra PJs Zim had and an extra shirt Zim managed to salvage from the pod and nodded off.


	2. can't deny love forever

_**Tak now had no idea where she was now. She glanced around and saw the flaming wrekage of a ship, and a small body near it. "Zim? is that you?" She glanced at him and saw the bloody wounds all over him. "T...Tak?" Zim said lightly while coughing. She started to cry. "Tak, don't cry, it's okay, you'll survive." "I know but what about you?" "I guess my time has come." She lightly picked up his head, making sure not to touch his wounds and make things worse for him. He lifted his hand and lightly brushed her cheek. "Goodbye, Tak." And with that he turned his head and closed his eyes and didn't open them again. Her mind was now a blur. 'Zim...dead...betrayal...dead...**_

**_crash...Zim...love...hurt...you...dead...hurt.' Then she saw a long tall purple figure tower in the darkness. "Was it you that did this to my Zim!" She then could make out it's smirk. "Awwww... look at that, Miss Tak Has a boyfriend, or should I say HAD a boyfriend." Tak could do nothing but gawk at it with anger in her eyes "I truly am sorry about this, but you and your little friend Zim are a threat to the Irken empire." It then motioned to the flaming wreakage. "We had to shoot down your cruiser once we saw it." "However, we didn't anticipate that you would survive such a tremendous crash, but I have specific orders from the galactic counsil (a universial equivilant of the U.N.) to destroy you at any costs, goodbye, Miss Tak, it hasn't been a pleasure knowing you." And then she realised that it was almighty tallest Purple charging at her with a clenched fist._**

Tak then woke up in a sweat. '_whoa, what the hell was that all about?' _She got up and instinctively walked to Zim's room and plopped in his bed, making careful not to wake him up. It's not that she loved him as a boyfriend or anything, it's just that he made her feel...safe when he was around, like a father. Besides, she's a light sleeper; she'll just go back to her bead by dawn, before Zim gets up. She slid an arm underneath his slowly breathing chest to cling to him and went to bed. By now it was morning and she was preparing some eggs and waffles when Zim entered the archway. "Morning, Tak." She blushed lightly, remembering how good it felt to be around him last night. "Good morning, Zim" He sat down and asked, "What's on the menu today?" "I made some eggs for me and Mimi and some waffles for you and Gir when they wake up." Zim then stared directly at her. "Tak?" Tak looked away from the stove for a second "Yes Zim?" "Listen, what ever happed to you last night, it's okay." Tak blushed heavily '_Oh shit, did he see me?' _"What are you talking about?" "Aw, come on Tak, I saw you clinging to me like a second Pak last night, and I just want to tell you, what ever happened to you last night to make you do that, it's okay." There was long silence between the two, not the awkward one though, a more nice one to help them concentrate on their own thoughts about each other, they both thought that they loved each other, but then denied it to themselves, laughing innerly about how stupid that sounds, but still she did find him like a father and Zim felt like she was his daughter, some one he needs to protect from dangers... Just then GIR ran screaming out of the trashcan and flopped down on the floor. Tak sighed, she really liked the silence to really observe Zim and by his expression, she thought he felt the same. "WHATS FOR FOOD!" Gir shouted "Waffles, Gir." Tak replied sharply. After they were finished and Gir stopped shoving whole waffles down his mouth and Mimi stopped experimenting with different ways of eating an egg, Gir shouted. "ZIMMY LURVES YOU TAKKY!" Zim's face turned beet red after he was finished. "NO I DON'T GIR, SO SHUT UP!" "Aw, come on Zimmy, you told me about the little flutters in your stomach when you're around her and the..." Gir was then interrupted by Zim picking him up by the top of his head. "GIR! GO DOWNSTAIRS AND PLAY WITH MIMI OR SOMETHING!" And then Zim shoved him down the trash can while Mimi followed him down, screaming. "Don't believe him Tak, he likes to lie and..." He was cut off by her smooth, calming voice "It's okay Zim." After a moment of silence, Zim started on serious matters. "I think we'll need to move on to the hotel today, I've had to duck out of at least five transmissions today and I think the tallest are getting to suspect something now. Tak nodded in agreement. Later on that day, everyone packed up there stuff and headed down to Zim's cruiser.


	3. everything is going to be allright

"Well, I modified it now so it can be disguiesed as a human car." He got in and started the ignition and pressed the cloak button so that it became a silver majestic and drove away. As he drove he noticed Gir and Mimi chattering and giggiling, they were like bother and sister at times. They arrived at the small hotel just ouside the city limits. A man at the door greeteed them and took there luggage in. Zim went over to the counter as Tak and the rest walked around for a bit. "Escuse me, but do you have any rooms left?" "Hmmmm..." The girl at the counter said as she typed in the computer. "We only have one room left, and it's a king bed suite." Zim agreed and went over to Tak. "Well, they only had one room, a king bed suite, and I can sleep on the ground if you want, and don't worry, if you have any problems in the night, don't worry to wake me up." Zim then winked at Tak and blushed. They got the key and got to their room and unpacked there stuff. Tak then said "I feel a bit cooped up in here, mind if I take a walk outside?" "Of course not, Tak, I'll come with you." Tak nodded and went outside with Zim. They took a calm stroll through the streets when Tak started to shiver a bit. "You okay?" Zim asked. "Yeah, but I wished I brought a coat or something, its cold." Zim then slowly wrapped his arm around Tak and brought her close. "That better?" Zim said, blushing. Tak smiled and nodded. "Yes, thank you." They walked for what seemed like forever to them. Tak's stomach then rumbled right outside a door to a restaurant. "Ah shit." She mumbled. Zim brought her inside and went to the counter. "And what can I get you two today?" A chipper young woman said. "A table for two, please." Zim said. "Right this way." The woman brought them to a table. They both had some salad and a plate of spaghetti. They ate it in relative silence. When they were done, Tak look into Zim's Bright Ruby eyes. She didn't know whether it was the romantic setting, the lighting, or him himself, but Tak then lightly brushed her hand across Zim's hand. They then blushed as they slowly inched their heads together until they could feel the other's sweet breath on their faces and kissed. They held each other there for what seemed like forever. They then broke off. Zim paid (Through galactic interchange, he was able to exchange his Irken credits in for some earth money.) and exited the building and walked back to the hotel silently, hand in hand (with a few glances and smiles, of course). When they got back, Zim opened the door for Tak and they both went in to see Gir sleeping on top of Mimi with her arms wrapped around Gir. Zim laid out his blanket and laid down. About halfway through his sleep, Tak started fidgeting and mumbling in the bed above him. He then woke up and crawled in with Tak. "Shhh...Shhhhh...its okay Tak, I'm here for you." Zim whispered to Tak while stroking her antennae. She woke up a bit and lightly said. "I love you, Zim." "I love you too, Tak." With his response, she went closer and cuddled with Zim who gave her a light kiss on the forehead. When Zim woke up, Tak was still asleep, resting her head on his chest and lightly breathing in and out with her delicate hands on Zim's waist. Zim grinned and decided not to wake her up and instead went outside to work on the voot a bit. When Tak woke up, she quietly whispered to the gods for sending Zim for her. She looked around and saw that Zim wasn't there so she got up and got dressed and went downstairs to the lobby and went outside to see Zim working on the cruiser she went over to the door and gave him a hug. "Morning, Tak." "Morning sweetheart, you almost done?" Zim was still fiddling with the hyper drive. "Almost, go wake up Gir and Mimi and take this and pay for our stay." He handed her an Irken swipe card (they're the irken equivalent of credit cards.) And she rushed in to get them, although she didn't want to wake Mimi and Gir, she had to. She nudged Gir on the shoulder a bit. "Time to wake up." Gir awoke to a startle to see Tak standing there. "You deednt see noth'n did yah?" Tak then replied. "No, but the way you two are embraced, the message is pretty clear." Gir then blushed (I know, I know, robots don't blush in your universe, but this story is in my universe and they can because I said so.) Once Mimi got up they went to the lobby, paid and went over to the idling voot cruiser. Zim then drove back into town, reassuring Tak that everything's alright by putting his arm on her shoulder and smiling at her with love in his eyes. Who knows? Maybe this is the start to something big.


	4. Epilouge

Red was lounging around in the cockpit of the massive. "Hey Pur, how about we call Zim again, just to bug him." Purple was slurping on a giant cherry slurpie. "O.K., wonder what's going on, he hasn't answered in a while." "Maybe he's found true love!" Red said in a mocking tone. Purple started laughing. "Zim? In love? I doubt it!" Then they started laughing so hard they had to support the other. After the laughter died out a bit, he pressed the hot button to get the monitor to Zim's house. Once the screen turned on the laughter stopped, Red's eye started to twitch and Purple nearly fell over from the shock they saw on the screen. It was Zim, and Tak, in Zim's arms, smiling from ear to ear. "Greetings, my tallest, what might I do you for?'


End file.
